Courtesy Photo | Army Spc. Richard McLamb, gunner, 16th Military Police Brigade, pulls security from...... read more read more
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Army Pfc. Jason Adolphson
16th Military Police Brigade
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq -- The protective security detachment for 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne) has planned and orchestrated more than 140 security convoy operations transporting VIPs and sensitive items in 10 months of deployment.
They work side by side with 551st Military Police Company (Air Assault) PSD, which is under the 16th MP Bde.'s command while overseas.
"Most of the time we fight together, live together and work together," said Army Staff Sgt. Joseph Myers, non-commissioned officer in charge of 16th MP Bde.'s PSD.
This close and constant communication has helped the team expect the unexpected as they train for any given situation.
"We train on any scenario we can possibly think of, as well as previous experiences shared by PSD Soldiers," he said.
Myers used forceful words to describe how the PSD operates.
"We will react with forces necessary to neutralize, eliminate and destroy threats in order to drive on and complete missions. We do not run and we will not hide," he said.
The PSD regularly approaches many possible threats while conducting operations here. Sometimes threats can be difficult to identify as Iraqi streets are littered with trash that could also be disguised improvised explosive devices.
During a recent 12-hour convoy mission, the PSD approached a traffic jam. Unlike in the United States, waiting in traffic here can be dangerous to Soldiers and civilians.
Being stuck in a swarm of vehicles, some of which could possibly be equipped with explosives, made waiting out traffic an unsafe option.
As the PSD troopers radioed each other, the leading vehicles pressed forward to size up the situation.
Army Spc. Richard McLamb, 16th MP Bde., shouted out from his gunner turret, "We've got men on foot with guns pointed. It looks like they are shooting at something, too!"
They continued to advance toward the commotion, ready to react as necessary. Upon closer examination, it was Iraqi policemen shooting at sandbags, alongside a road with wires hanging. Myers informed the IPs that the situation should be handled by an explosive ordinance disposal team.
Upon contacting the 16th MP's headquarters to inform them of the situation, another unit arrived to handle the situation.
The troops of the 16th pressed forward for many hours of travel ahead.
This job comes with many risks, and the Soldiers acknowledge the potential downfall of such threats. A cluster of them spoke of the charms they carry to help them feel safe throughout their missions.
Army Sgt. Michael Niemi, 551st MP Co. PSD, said he carries a charm of Saint Christopher, the patron saint of safe travel.
"Sometimes you hear stories of fallen Soldiers and their stories are just like your own," McLamb said. "You gotta do your mission, and if it's to catch a bullet for the guy next to me, I'll do it."
While at Camp Bucca, the team gathered under the hot sun to pull razor wire and assist in building new compounds for the camps theater internment facility.
Myers was told the amount of work the PSD performed in such a small amount of time was impressive, considering they were not engineers trained for construction tasks.
With a pat on the back, the PSD Soldiers went to sleep smiling, ready to continue performing their missions for the upcoming months of this deployment same way they did through the first 10 months.
| Date Taken: | 06.23.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 06.23.2007 00:41 |
| Story ID: | 10936 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 231 |
| Downloads: | 155 |
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